Hundreds more children can receive primary care through First Five program

A program launched in May to provide primary care for infants and children five and younger has room for more kids.

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So far, 117 children have been seen through the first-five program at the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centers said executive director Sherri Saunders.

“Definitely, we are accepting new referrals to this program and have capacity to serve many more kids,” she said.

She added the program can see upwards of 620 kids annually.

Saunders said targeting primary care to children younger than five who do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner is a direction from the Ontario Heath Ministry due to the backlog in the health care system created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There were reports that kids had missed out on their routine preventative immunizations, vaccinations and their health checks,” she said.

Anyone coming to the CKCHC for primary care can see a doctor or nurse practitioner for multiple issues in a single visit. And the same applies to kids in the first-five program, Saunders said.

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“For this program, they would be treated as if they were in our primary care setting,” she said.

If a child enrolled in first five has an ear ache or sore throat they can come in for an appointment, Saunders said.

She added if a child has feeding or eating issues, they would be referred to the CKCHC’s dietician or if they have equipment issues, they would see the agency’s occupational therapist.

“They would have not only access to primary care, but our inter-professional team as well,” Saunders said. “We would see them as often as they need to make sure they’re well and growing and developing and free of illness and are healthy.”

She noted the First Five program runs at the CKCHC’s sites in Chatham, Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First Nation.

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For more information or for a referral to Chatham-Kent’s first-five program, email [email protected] or call 519-397-5455, Ext. 1.

Those visiting the CKCHC Chatham site will also notice distinct pieces of artwork provided by artist and client Evan Willick.

Elmo Is The Same As You Head To Toe, is one of the two first-five program paintings, intended to show children the different bones in the bodies in a child friendly painting with a relatable character for this age group, said a CKCHC media release .

Doc McStuffins, another painting, is meant to help children feel at ease and show them that getting their checkups isn’t scary, the release said. They can feel safe knowing “The Doc is in!”

Children have enjoyed the colorful first-five artwork as it has “brightened their day,” with Doc McStuffins and Elmo putting them at ease in relatable surroundings that has fostered positive communication during appointments, Sarah Galos, a registered practical nurse, said in the release .

[email protected]

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